6 tourist traps to avoid from around the world

Planning a trip to a new country or a new city, one thing you have to be absolutely aware of is tourist traps. This happens mostly outside landmark and iconic touristy places, where people try to trick you financially by offering guide services, high-priced souvenirs, black-market tickets, etc. A tourist trap is financially draining, makes your trip memorable for all the wrong reasons, and, of course, lowers your travel excitement to a great extent.  

Here are 6 most common tourist traps and ways to avoid them quickly

If you are unaware of tourist traps or have been lucky enough not fall prey to one till date, then bookmark these basic ones that would help you recognise them and avert them in dire times.

Accept and beware of locals: Understanding and befriending the locals is like two sides of the same coin. While they would definitely be able to guide you towards better opportunities to explore the place, something that tourist guide books will never do; some rotten apples also try to make most of the opportunity financially by extracting maximum benefits. Thus, it is always recommended that you do your own research before visiting any place and learn some basic phrases in the local language so that you cannot be cheated very easily.

Skip the peak: Remember, iconic tourist-friendly monuments are stationed in a place throughout the year. So, plan your visit during the off-season. A major advantage is that the prices of food, accommodation, and entry tickets are slashed by quite a margin. This prevents a financial drain to your pockets.

Purchase tickets from official sources:  With everything taking the digital route, today it is quite possible to pre-book tickets or reservations from the official website, while you are sitting in any part of the world. Always pre-book any entry tickets or reservations to skip the queue. Moreover, you may notice people selling tickets outside tourist spots. Most of the time, these are shady purchases and at a high cost, which can be easily avoided with slight planning.

Audio-guide apps: Most places today offer audio guide applications through brochures, QR codes and headphones. What's more, these guides come in several languages to choose from. Moreover, their service charges are often free or very minimal compared to hiring a guide-man. Since, these audio-apps are mostly developed through extensive research and validation, they might have the key to the closest possible truths, compared to people who often tend to mix folklores and oral history with pure facts.

Avoid costume character photographs: You would often spot people dressed in different costumes outside tourist spots. For instance, a gladiator in Rome or characters from Shakespeare’s plays in Stratford-upon-Avon, etc. Try to avoid clicking photographs with them since they may ask for a hefty tip afterwards.

Beware of overpriced souvenirs: Try to get local handicrafts straight from the artisans where you would get them at better deals than regular shops which often sell mass produced, machine made, fake stuffs at higher prices.

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